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(HodeL) J. T. HOUGHENS; Coupling for Railway Heating Apparatus.

No. 242,201.- Patented May 31,1881.

WITNESSES. INVENTOR r" "(a I -i m/w bmw.

i I M I I I I I 1 ATTORNEY.

' 3 that the connection between the cars will al- JOHN T. HOUOHENS, OFBALTIMORE,

PATENT OFFICE.

MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN B. SISSON, OF SAME PLACE.

COUPLING FOR RAILWAY HEATING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 242,201, dated May 31,1881.

Application filed February 7, 1881. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN T. HOUCHENS, of Baltimore city, State ofMaryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 5 inPipe-Couplings for Heating Apparatus for Railway-Trains; and I herebydeclare the same to be fully, clearly, and exactly described as follows,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 isa plan, partly in section, of one of the pipe-elbows; Fig. 2, anelevation, partly in section, of the coupling device for connecting thepipes with the cars. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line :0 as of Fig. 2.Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the middle joint; Fig. 4, a

bottom plan of the entire system of pipes located between the platforms;Fig. 5, a bottom plan of a car, showing the direction taken by thesteam-pipe and Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the dispositionof the parts shown in Fig. 4..

My invention has reference to devices for heating the cars ofrailway-trains by means of steam led from the engine through a suitablesystem of pipes; and it has for its object to provide a strong anddurable connection between the cars, adapted to admit of every possiblemotion of each car with reference to the next one, and of suchconstruction that the 0 pipes will pull apart without breaking in caseof the breakage of the coupler and be susceptible of ready attachmentand separation when desired. My object, furthermore, is to so disposethe pipe ends with reference to the cars ways present conforming partsopposite each other, no matter how the cars be turned end for end. Theseends are secured by the con-' struction and arrangement of parts shownin 40 the accompanying drawings, in which- A is a pipe-elbow,constructed of two parts, a. a, attached together by screws or bolts 0..Within each part of the elbow is a pipe, D, having a terminal flange, d,which rests in a slot, 1), in the swell B, as shown. The ends I) of theelbow are threaded, and on them are screwed nuts 0, which bear uponglands E, having beveled inner edges, 0, and compress the packing 0 uponthe pipes D. It will be seen that a gas-ti ght joint is thus formed,while leaving the pipes D free to turn within the elbow. The pipes D areconnected with the central coupling, M, Fig. 3, by means of a section, Jexactlysimilar in construction to either half of the elbow A, theterminal flange of the pipe D being secured by a slot in the swellj.

On the end of the part J is rigidly keyed a hand-wheel, K.

M is the middle coupling, consisting of a pipe provided on its exteriorwith two oppo- 6o sitely-facing ratchets, l I, and a threaded section,m, and a plain tubular portion, m, extending beyond each ratchet.Between the latter is a hand-wheel, L.

Pawls lc, pivoted upon the parts J, are normally thrust, by means ofsprings a, into engagement with the ratchets, but may be held in aretracted position by means of catches a, which engage the outer ends ofthe pawls when the same are depressed.

Within the parts J are seats provided with washers or gaskets, againstwhich the ends on of the part M abut when the threaded parts m arescrewed into the ends of the parts J. By these means the pipes J areheld securely together, but admit of ready separation, it being onlynecessary to depress one of the pawls out of engagement with the ratchetand turn the wheel L to unscrew its threaded end from the pipeJ,carrying the disengaged pawl. The other pipe, J, which remains attachedto the coupling M, simply turns on its pipe D, pending the unscrewing ofthe other end of the coupling from the opposite pipe. w

The terminal pipes of the system shown in Fig. 4. end in square orpolygonal tubes, as shown in Fig. 2, which enter similarly-formed tubesF, that are rigidly secured to the ends of the heating-pipes. The tubesF carry in hearings on their upper sides ratchet-wheels H, mounted onshafts H. To the shafts H are secured arms g, that connect withhorizontal arms G, which, in turn, are pivoted to levers F, mounted inbearings f. The lower ends, f, of the levers pass through slots in thetubes F 5 and engage with recesses I in the pipes D. Between the ends ofthe latter and seats 2" in the pipe F are washers or gaskets 'i. Onturnin g the ratchet-wheel in the direction indicated by the arrows thelever F draws the pipe D I00 into the pipe Fand jams its end tightlyagainst the gasket 2, making a gas-tight joint. A pawl, h, secures theratchet-wheel H.

In Fig. 4 is shown in bottom plan the whole system of pipes between thecars. The pipe F extends from the platform and receives the pipe D,which is bent horizontally at right angles at 1, and entersthehorizontal member of one of the elbows, A. This is bent at rightangles at 2, in a plane at right angles to that of the bend at 1. Thepipe D of the elbow A enters a second elbow, A, bent at 3 at rightangles in the same plane as the bend immediately preceding it. The pipeD of the elbow A is rigidly screwed into a common elbow, L, curved atright angles in a horizontal plane at 4, and having a pipe, D, on theopposite side, which enters the pipe J.

The coupling M connects the system just described with an exactlysimilar system, bent at right angles at 5,6, 7, and S, and connected atits end'with a pipe, F, on the next car.

It will be evident that the system of pipes is so jointed as to playfreely with every possible motion of one car with reference to the next.If the cars separate or come closer together, the horizontal pipes D andI) turn in their inclosing-casings. Should one car move laterally ortilt with reference to the next, the pipes D turn, and finally the pipesbetween the points 2 and 3, 6 and 7 afford the requisite play in turninga curve. In order to prevent breakage of the pipes should the carsseparate, it is only necessary to provide for the release of the pawlsh. This may he done in many ways, such as by an arm, h, secured to thehorizontal pipe between 1 and 2, which arm strikes the pawl when thepipe is caused to rotate as the cars separate, or by a light chain orcord connecting the pawls with the opposite platform.

Now, it is evident that a practical device for the purpose of couplingthe steam-pipes of the cars of a railway-train must be so arranged thatthe coupling can be conveniently effected however the cars be broughttogether. This I attain by having the ends 0 of the steam-pipe 0 onopposite sides of the center line of the car 0, as shown in Fig. 5. Itwill be evident that no matter how the cars be turned, the ends 0 willcome opposite the termini of the system shown in Fig. 4.

With the internal arrangement of heatingpipes under the car-seats myinvention has nothing to do, it relating alone to thecouplings betweenthe platforms. It may be remarked, however, that the device is equallyapplicable to use as coupling for air or steam or vacuum brakes,avoiding as itdoes the objections which lie to the use of the ordinaryrubber hose.

What I claim is- 1. 111 a pipe-coupling, an elbow longitudinally dividedand provided with slots 1), in combination with pipes having terminalflanges d, glands E, and nuts 0, as set forth.

2. In combination with the elbow A, made in two parts, a a, boltedtogether, and having the slots b, the flanged pipe D, nut (J, gland E,having beveled edge e, and packing c, as set forth.

3. In combination with the pipes J, having threaded ends and pawls 7c,the coupling M, having double ratchet l l, and threaded portions m, asset forth.

4. In combination with the pipes J, having swiveling pipes D,hand-wheels K, and ratchets l, and pawls k, the coupling M, having wheelL, as set forth.

5. In combination with the pipes J and D, the ratchets l, and pawls k,springs it, catches a, and coupling M, as set forth.

6. In combination with the coupling M, having wheel L, ratchets l,threaded portions m, and tubular portions m, the pipes J, having pawls kand pipes D, as described.

7. In combination with the pipes F, having levers F, the tubes 1),having shoulders I, and the ratchets and pawls, as set forth.

8. In combination with the pipe F, polygonal in cross-section, andhaving seat 71 and gasket z, the pipe D, conforming to the cross-sectionof the pipe F, and mechanism for compressing its end against the gasket,as set forth.

9. In combination with the square pipes F D, the lever F, ratchet andpawls H h, and gasket 1', as described.

JOHN T. HOUGHENS.

Witnesses:

JOHN B. SIssoN, JOHN C. GITTINGER.

